History

Ben Hall

In 2005, recognising the potential for mineral site restoration to achieve significant biodiversity gains on a landscape scale, the RSPB undertook a research project to determine exactly what the contribution of mineral site restoration could be to achieving the UK BAP targets.

Understanding the need to overcome these barriers, the RSPB and Natural England developed the Nature After Minerals (NAM) programme early in 2007, with full support and backing from the two industry representatives: the Mineral Products Association (formerly the Quarry Products Association) and the British Aggregates Association.

Since then, Nature After Minerals has worked with all stakeholders – operators, minerals planners, environmental NGOs, statutory bodies, consultants, local authorities and local communities – to better understand, promote and share best-practice in minerals restoration for a nature conservation end-use, to benefit people and wildlife in line with national and international biodiversity targets.

2005

2006

2007

2007-2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013-2015

2014-2015

2015

2016

The Minerals Restoration Potential project began in January 2005 with funding provided by Defra through the Department for Communities and Local Government’s (DCLG) Sustainable Land-won and Marine Dredged Aggregate Minerals Programme, which was managed by the Minerals Industry Research Organisation (MIRO).